You should
by PaintedBlank
Summary: You should take risks, you should give others a chance, you should let go of insecurities. So read on. LilyJames set in sixth year
1. Really!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue me

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"You should've seen her mate"

"What?" asked a slightly harried James Potter. He'd been away from school a little longer than he'd planned on and now he had to catch up to all the work he had missed.

"She was worried, she was_ actually _worried about you" replied his best mate, Sirius.

"About what happened at…at Christmas time?" He still couldn't bring himself to say it. He'd hardly escaped with his life.

"Well, really mate we all were…and then no owl post from you for days after that, I might even have…lost my cool once or twice."

"You! Lose you're cool? Oh you must really love me," said James.  
"Can we get back on topic?" said Sirius, "She actually said "Life just wouldn't be the same without James"  
"No! Are you serious?" replied James skeptically  
"Of course I am…in more ways than one if you catch my meaning," replied Sirius slyly.  
"That was funny…in first year! Grow up mate, we're 16. Now bugger off, I have to finish all this bloody work."

And with that James went back to his huge piles of homework. Grumbling to himself about teachers cutting him some slack after what happened. What did happen was quite disturbing.

While visiting his parents for Christmas break his house and the city it was situated in was hit by a particularly nasty earthquake. It was quite devastating and not many survived. Part of a wall had actually fallen on James if not for a bulky chest of drawers that he had always hated taking the hit instead of James he would've come out with more than just the few minor scratches and bruises he did escape with.

His parents had survived of course; they were of age and could easily protect themselves. It took them a few days to actually find James, unconscious, in the rubble. In those few days news of the earthquake had reached Hogwarts. His friends hadn't been concerned at first, but after not hearing from him for a while they had started getting anxious.

Even Lily Evans, a girl that he did not get along with too well, was worried about him. At least, that's what Sirius said. Lily and him did not maintain the best friendship, they constantly argued and insulted each other but still remained friends, at least to some extent. He had liked her for a couple years now but wouldn't do anything about it. He wouldn't admit it either, since she really was quite annoying. He moaned and complained about her to Sirius, Remus, and Peter who in turn just moaned and complained about him not shutting up about her!

James shook his head and continued with his homework. Thinking about her right now would not help his concentration. He didn't like her…really!


	2. Shower, Shower I need a shower!

Author's note: This is just a bit of comic relief for me. I had an idea and just had to run with it. Don't worry I'll get to the romance soon enough.

Disclaimer: still dont own it, still don't sue me.

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James just couldn't get sleep that night, tossing and turning he tried everything to get some shut eye. Finally he decided he needed to take drastic measure…he started counting sheep. After the 120th sheep he was amazed that it was actually working. His mind was resting, his body had relaxed and the sheep were very cute… 

_He was taking a bubble bath in what appeared to be champagne…the door opened and revealed Lily in what appeared to be nothing but a bathrobe. She was coming closer, but instead of nearing all of a sudden seemed miles away. Suddenly Dumbledore was behind him, he had cleared his throat. James tried explaining that it wasn't his idea and Lily had come here on her own freewill when Dumbledore promptly turned into a green leafy bush. The bush started yelling… _

"Shower! Shower, I need a _cold_ shower! Get out of my way!"

Groggily opening his eyes James realized it was Sirius yelling at the bathroom door.

"Get your ass out of there Remus I _need _a cold shower right now!" yelled Sirius through the door. He was now rapidly pounding on the door.

He was still pounding when a very wet Remus opened the door. Sirius fell flat on his face but scrambled up and locked it behind him. They could hear the shower going, and some garbled up singing.

"What in the world was all that about? Its only…bloody hell it's _8!_" screaming the last bit James jumped out of bed and started dressing.

"It's his new girlfriend," explained Remus "won't let him get to home base apparently. I think he's going insane. Doesn't know when to stop, that one." Shaking his head slightly Remus toweled himself off and put on his robes.

"I'll see you at breakfast then, its going to be a while until you get in there," motioning towards the bathroom door, "He's not a very good singer in the shower now is he? He's got half the words jumbled up."

With that Remus left, leaving James with Peter's snoring, Sirius' horrible singing and his mind reeling from the odd dream he had just woken up from. It was only then that he realized he was trying to jam his foot into his hat and not his sock.

At Breakfast, James looked hopefully up at the Owl Post, awaiting his issue of the Daily Post. The World-Wide-Quidditch League was having labour disputes. The players were complaining they didn't get paid enough (A/n: sound familiar? Damn NHL…at least its back now) and the owners didn't want to pay them anymore than they were already getting. They were currently "in negotiations" to come to a compromise. James had been scanning the papers for almost a year now, waiting for it to end.  
He was in luck that day, the headlines blared "WWQL and players reach an agreement, Quidditch back on!"

James whooped and showed it to Sirius before running off into the corridor yelling and hugging random people. Sirius, Remus and Peter quickly running after him, they were just in time to see James hugging a very surprised Lily Evans before running off yelling obscenely.

"Bloody madman!" she yelled after him. He didn't hear her; he turned a corner and was lost from sight.  
"What's gotten into him?" Lily questioned the Marauders. Just as Sirius was about to explain they heard two terrified screams from around the corner James had just turned. They shared a quick look and hurried after him. Turning the corner they saw James and Snape partly embraced both looking equally terrified.

"Get your filthy hands off of me Potter! What in the world possessed you do to such a thing?" snapped Snape shoving (A/n: hah loving that alliteration) James away. Snape was looking quite disgusted.

"I...I...oh God, I can't believe I just hugged Snape! Shower! Shower I need a shower! Get out of my way!" yelled James. And with that he ran straight to his bathroom to "cleanse himself."

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Please review and I'm open to suggestions and complaints 


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